1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for directing and assisting a user through procedures of a program required to perform various tasks on a complex software system.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that the installation of software systems on mainframe computers requires entry of many parameters and accomplishment of a large number of steps before the software is ready to run. During the installation process, an entry error or other mistake can result in substantial time being expended to debug the data that has been entered. The prior art has attempted to cope with this problem through a system that helps the user through the installation process.
One example of such prior art is disclosed in the IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin (TDB), Volume 34, No. 11, April 1992 at page 174. There, it is noted that a local area network distribution system requires a large number of user actions to set up a workstation to remotely install a local area network (LAN) requester program. Previously, the LAN administrator would be required to create map files manually for all requesters that require remote installation. The IBM TDB article suggests that a preprocessor be used to help the LAN administrator customize the set-up for remote requesters. The preprocessing program creates a map file for each workstation wherein a requester program is to be installed. For each requester, the LAN administrator inputs the requester's name, domain name and drive where the program will be installed. The preprocessing program reads these input parameters and creates a map file with appropriate default values. The preprocessing program is said to reduce the chance of user error by utilizing predefined inputs and by displaying appropriate error messages.
It is further known to direct a user through the various steps that are required for installing an application program. However, such installation instructions are generally set out as a listed series of tasks to accomplish, with little information being given as to their interrelationship, the status of various subtasks which comprise the overall task, or the overall relationship of the various subtasks to each other and to the task as a whole.
In fact, to successfully install a complex program, it is often a necessity that the user be an expert on how to install the program, on how to adapt and/or alter parameters that are inserted during the installation procedure, etc.